When the Lakers drafted Julius Randle, it was reasonable to expect that the Lakers were done with the draft. They weren’t. They spent the rest of the evening trying to acquire a second-round pick from another team. The Lakers chose to spend $1.8 million to buy that second round pick. That pick was used on Jordan Clarkson.
Who is Jordan Clarkson?
Jordan Clarkson is a 6’5″ combo guard from the University of Missouri. The junior year player is 22-years old. While that seems old for a junior player, he red-shirted his third year of college to transfer from Tulsa to the University of Missouri. There, he was able to work on his point guard skills.
Offense
Offensively, he has one unique trait. DraftExpress provided an excellent scouting video. He’s able to get into the paint and finish effectively. At 6’5″ with a 6’8″ wingspan, he is the size of an average NBA shooting guard. However, due to his ball-handling ability and quickness, he’s able to shake defenders in isolation situations and get several shots in the paint. He averages over four shot attempts in the painted area alone. His field goal percentage at the rim is at 55%, while he shoots 50% on floaters. Those numbers are just above the average in terms of finishing ability, but look exceptional when the number of shot attempts in the paint is so high.
His jumpshot needs a lot of work. He shot just 28% behind the 3-point arc, nearly 10% worse compared to his sophomore year. DraftExpress did an excellent statistical breakdown of the point guards found here. Clarkson has the lowest Pure Point Ratio. While his assist-to-turnover ratio is 1.3:1, there is potential for him as a point guard. He attacked the basket relentlessly. Sometimes he gets out of control and forces a play that isn’t there. That led to a high amount of turnovers.
In terms of triple threat skills, ball-handling is his best strength. Right now, he’s an average passer and an average shooter. The difference for Clarkson is, this was his first year truly playing point guard. He showed potential when he broke defenders off-the-dribble and began to create plays.
Defense
Feb 25, 2014; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard Charles Mann (4) drives past Missouri Tigers guard Jordan Clarkson (5) during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum. Georgia defeated Missouri 71-56. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Defense is more of an issue. He lacks the lateral quickness to keep up with opposing point guards. While he is a good athlete, he may be considered average when compared to other shooting guards. He has a decent first step, decent speed down the court, and an excellent vertical. Unfortunately, lateral quickness will be an issue when defending point guards.
However, he is 6’5″ with a 6’8″ wingspan. Those are nearly the same measurements as Zach LaVine. He’s almost the size of Dante Exum and certain looks stronger than him. He can compensate the lack of lateral quickness with his length. He’s average in terms of steal rate and blocked shot rate, which is surprising considering he has elite length for the point guard position.
Upside
The Lakers clearly thought much higher of Clarkson since they bought a second round pick just to draft him. But, what does his upside look like? He’s a big point guard who needs to work on a few skills, but he has the most difficult skill down pat. Perimeter shooting is the easiest of NBA skills to develop. The release point on his jumpshot is unusually low and he shoots in front of his forehead instead of above it. Adding more arc to his shot will allow him to have better results from 3-point range and increase his points per possession. Kawhi Leonard was among the worst in points per possession off of jumpshooting as well. Three years later, he shot over 57% behind the 3-point line in the Finals.
A fair player comparison would be Greivis Vasquez. Both are big point guards. Both are smooth athletes. Both need to refine their jumpshots at the NBA level. Vasquez is the more intense defender, but Clarkson is the guy who can finish at the basket more consistently.